The Foreign Lestrange
by LokiHatake
Summary: Loki Lestrange is not what anyone at Hogwarts was expecting when they learned that the son of Bellatrix Lestrange, infamous Deatheater, was coming to school. He's lazy, too smart for his own good, and has no respect for anyone but his half-brother, a foreigner with silver hair, one visible eye, and a complete lack of a sense of timing. What could possibly go wrong next?
1. Chapter 1

Kakashi glared at his blonde sensei. The man was smiling sheepishly and slowly backing away. Even his teamates, both several years older than himself, backed away slowly. Furius grey eyes were locked on the blood would-be Hokage.

"I do not have a brother, father would have told me."

Minato flinched before sighing. "You were never supposed to know about the baby. The other two parents, the woman who birthed the boy and the father who used the ritual with your father because the man was infertile, were supposed to raise the kid. Something happened and now neither of the parents are capable of raising the kid. You are the closest blood-relative and they're sending him here because the Sandaime has agreed that the boy should be raised in the village."

Kakashi remained tensely silent for several long minutes before nodding tightly and stalking to the door, he paused in the threshold.

"Let me know when he gets here."  
-

Four year old Loki Lestrange stared up at the blonde male who was holding him in his arms as he walked along the path in some forest with an entirely to intelligent for his age expression. The boy was watching him like he was dissecting him with his eyes. The boys head tilted to the side slowly before he spoke the first words he'd said since Minato had picked him up in the Ministry of Magic's War Orphan Division. His words shocked Minato to the core.

"Are you gonna hurt me, sir?"

Minato's head jerked at the words, whipping around to stare at the boy.

"Why would I do that?"

The child remained silent, obviously waiting for an answer. Minato slowly shook his head no before answering, a little concerned with how seriously the child had phrased the question.

"No, I'm not. Did someone else hurt you?"

The boy watched him for several minutes before apparently deciding he was trustworthy before nodding and answering.

"Yes. The Auror who came and got me from the manor used the Cruciatus Curse on me. He said it was what my parents used on the Longbottom's and that I should have a 'reminder' of just how worthless I was."  
Minato would have thought the child was exaggerating, but he could feel the slight tremors in the boys body that proved it. Minato had seen just what that particular curse could do, and it left no outside evidence of its use but for the self-inflicted scratches an unbound victim inflicted on themselves. He could see signs of healing scratches similar to those on the boys arms and face. He had to breathe deeply several times to convince himself that killing the Auror who had done it was counterproductive.

"It won't happen again. That man will not touch you again."

The boy, Loki, studied him again for several minutes in that unnerving way that Minato was absolutely certain only Hatake's and Hyuuga were capable of before finally, finally, relaxing into his grasp and laying his head on Minato's shoulder. Within minutes the boy was fast asleep.  
-

Kakashi entered the patient wing of the hospital in time to see Minato being led by a Medic-nin into an unnoccupied room. In his arms was a small child, not much younger than Kakashi, but a good deal shorter. The shock of white-silver hair was all the confirmation Kakashi needed to know the boy was his half-brother. Minato looked out the door and motioned Kakashi to come into the room. With an internal scowl kakashi complied. He stepped into the room to see the Medic-nin running glowing green hands over the boy while talking inanely to try and distract the young child. The boy was obviously not having any of it and was watching her hands like they were snakes readying to bite his unprotected flesh. The Medic suddenly made a strangled gasping sound before rounding on Minato.

"Minato-sama! This boy has obviously been through some kind of nervous system related torture, what were you thinking!"

Minato jerked back several steps, holding up his hands in an attempt to ward off the angry Medic.

"That's why I brought him here!"

"Brought him?! I'd be surprised if the boy could walk at this point. How he's sitting there without screaming I have no clue!"

"That's why I carried him here!"

The Medic growled at the cowering blonde before turning back to the small patient.

"Now, dear, why don't you tell me what hurts the worst and I'll do my best to make you feel better."

"I'm fine, ma'am. I don't need any help."

The small boy slid off the bed to stand on his own feet and moved to stand next to Minato. Minato sighed.

"It's alright Loki-kun, she's just trying to help. Let her give you something for the pain at least."

Loki stared up at Minato for a minute or so before nodding and turning to the Medic-nin.

"The worst of it is at ankles, wrists, and lower back."

The woman nodded before picking up a syringe. At the sight of it the boy immediately jerked backwards and towards the door. At the sight of Kakashi he froze. Both locked gazes and a stare down insued. After several tense minutes Loki dropped his gaze slightly, head tilting slightly to the side to bare the edge of his throat. Immediately the edge of tension between the two lessened by a degree. Kakashi pointed to the bed and Loki obediently walked over to it and climbed back up. He sat stock still as the Medic administered small doses of pain killers at the areas the boy had mentioned. When she finished Loki turned to look at Kakashi. At a nod from the older boy Loki gave a disgruntled sigh and curled up on the bed. Kakashi moved to a chair next to the bed and sat down in it. Minato and the Medic had a silent conversation before Minato simply shrugged and the woman left.

"Kakashi, would you mind staying with Loki for a bit? I need to talk with the Hokage."

Kakashi nodded in Minato's direction, attention locked on the smaller boy staring back at him. Minato rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath as he exited the hospital room.

"Hatake's, never will understand them."

Loki woke the next morning around four, he glanced towards the window with a frown before looking back at the chair the other boy had been in to find the boy opening his eyes.

"Go back to sleep."

"Can't."

The boy seemed to frown.

"Why not?"

"Not tired anymore." Loki shrugged. He made sure to keep his gaze just to the left of the boy's actual eyes, not making eye contact. If the boy noticed this he said nothing about it. The boy got up and walked over to the bed before climbing in and moving Loki over so that he was behind him with his arm wrapped around the smaller boy's waist.

"My name is Kakashi Hatake, you, are my little brother."

Loki looked back at Kakashi before answering in a quiet voice.

"Minato-sama explained it to me. My name is Loki Lestrange, Minato-sama says my name is Loki Hatake now though."

"It is."

Loki was quiet for several minutes, thinking and adjusting to having someone so close to him. Positive human contact had been sparse the last couple years with his father, Rudolhus Lestrange, being busy doing work for the Dark Lord, and his mother, Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black slowly going insane. Finally he voiced his thoughts.

"You don't like me do you?"

Kakashi was quiet for a while before he answered.

"I don't know you."

Loki nodded, he could understand that.

"If I sing you a lullaby, would you go to sleep?"

Loki was surprised at the offer and thought it over. Slowly, he nodded.

"I'd like that."

Kakashi was quiet for a little bit before he began to sing in a voice Loki hadn't expected to come from the stoic male. It was beautiful.

"LITTLE WOLF

CLOSE YOUR EYES

THE MOON AND STARS

ARE HIGH ABOVE

sO CLOSE YOUR EYES

LITTLE WOLF

THE PACK WILL GUARD

TILL THE SUN COMES UP

LITTLE WOLF

CLOSE YOUR EYES

ALL YOUR PACKMATES

ARE BY YOUR SIDE

BLOOD TO BLOOD

AND HEART TO HEART

ALL THE PACK

NEVER TO PART

LITTLE WOLF

CLOSE YOUR EYES

KNOW YOUR PACKMATES

ARE BY YOUR SIDE"

Slowly, Loki drifted off to sleep.  
-


	2. Chapter 2

2 WEEKS LATER -

Loki followed behind Kakashi as the older boy led the way to an empty training field that was hidden away from the majority of the population. His Aniki, older brother, had decided that he needed to learn to defend himself. Minato had suggested it as a way to help with overcoming bad memories. They were going to this particular training field because Loki had freaked out a couple of days ago when a nurse had entered his room and startled him. Normally it wouldn't have mattered, but despite Loki's intelligence he was still four and unable to control his accidental magic. Luckily that time only resulted in his hair changing from its usual color to neon orange in alarm before fading back into its natural color. Loki scowled inwardly at the memory of the following conversation where he had to describe what he knew of Metamorphmagus. The Hokage, an older gentleman, had been intrigued by his ability to change his appearance without something called a Henge, and that it was solid. Loki had the distinct impression that the male was a little disheartened that the ability was rare even in lines that carried it, and that it was impossible to change ones mass.

Kakashi looked back at him with one eyebrow arched in question at his expression. Loki just shook his head and Kakashi continued forward with a shrug. Loki glanced backwards when he heard a thud to see Kakashi's female teammate standing over the goggle-wearing male that was the third and last Genin member of Kakashi's squad. Said male was currently rolling around on the ground holding the crown of his head and whimpering in pain. The girl was Inuzuka Rin, and the male Uchiha Obito.

Obito confused Loki. Every other Uchiha that Loki had met over the week with the possible exception of one Uchiha Shisui was stoic and mostly unapproachable, like Kakashi. But Obito, and Shisui, were not. Shisui was more subdued but still approachable. Obito was the exact opposite of the majority of the Uchiha. He was loud, brash, and while he put forth a strong front Loki was almost certain that he was lacking somewhere in his own since of worth.

Rin, on the other hand, was an interesting person. She had a strong inclination towards being a Medic-nin, and was quite good at it. But even Loki could see that she had a crush on Kakashi. And it looked like Obito knew it too with the way he glared at him from time to time. But Rin was a nice person, and while Loki had an ingrained fear of all things female thanks to his Mother, he was willing to overlook that particular, unchangable aspect of Rin. It wasn't her fault that she was a girl, nor that he was so terrified of them in general.

Behind the group, following at a more sedate pace, was Minato-Sensei. The tall blonde-haired, blue-eyed male smiled at him when he noticed Loki's attention on him. Loki liked Minato. The man was good-natured and playful. He did have a rather unhealthy obsession with ramen, but then so did the man's girlfriend, Uzumaki Kushina. The redhead was not here today, having realized just how much her loud and rather forceful personality tended to scare Loki. Loki respected her as a person, but he was having issues working around his ingrained dislike of her personality. The only person he'd ever known to act in a similar way was his Mother, and she'd been insane and violent.  
The group finally arrived at the training ground and Minato immediately set the older children (adults technically, they are Genin) to training. Finally he turned to Loki.

"All right. We're going to start you off with some Chakra control exercises. Then we'll move to Kunai throwing, maybe some shuriken too."

Loki nodded to the male. Minato pulled off to leaves from the tree behind him and handed one to Loki before sticking his own to his forehead.

"The first one is this, you need to get the leaf to stick to your forehead. Let me know..."

Minato trailed off as Loki did just that. The leaf stuck to his forehead without him even looking at it. The small boy blinked but then shrugged it off. Minato raised a brow but then just shook his head in exasperation.

"Okay, now make it spin smartass."

Loki smirked slightly before his face scrunched a bit in concentration. After a couple of false starts the leaf began to spin. Loki played with the speed and direction for a bit before looking back at Minato. The male had an extremely curious expression.

"Hmmm...never had someone get through the first two so fast." He scratched the back of his head in thought before nodding. "Okay then, on to tree climbing."

Loki gave him a blank expression. "Tree climbing?"

"Yep." Minato grinned before walking over to a tree and then right up the side as if he was still on solid ground. If Minato was expecting an awed expression he didn't get it. Loki frowned up at him before walking over and doing the same thing. Once he got to an adjacent branch he sat down. Minato had a gobsmacked expression, looking from the ground to Loki in confusion. Loki finally took pitty on him.

"I've been able to climb walls for almost two years. I didn't know it was a chakra thing though. I figured it out by accident when I was trying to hide in the rafters from my Mother, she never looked up." Loki shrugged. "It took awhile to get it down, and I broke a couple bones in the process from being shot off whatever surface I was climbing."

Minato slumped into a seated position on his own branch and tapped his chin in thought. He stared at Loki like he was trying to figure out a very complex puzzle. Finally he just through his hands up in frustration.

"Hatakes, I'll never get it."

The blonde walked back down the tree and Loki followed a few seconds later. The blonde motioned for him to continue following and walked over to a small pond. He stopped at the edge and looked back at Loki.

"Ever walked on water?"

Loki blinked at him in confusion.

"No. Why would I ever try to do that?"

Minato smirked and stepped out onto the surface of the water. He walked a few feet out and stood there.

"Alright then, you try."

Loki shook his head no. Minato frowned.

"The water is calm, Loki. Just try it."

"I can't swim."

Minato blinked. "Oh." He walked back onto dry land and struck his thinking pose again. "Well then, we'll just have to fix that won't we. We'll start swimming lessons tommorow."

Loki nodded, glad he wouldn't be attempting to drown himself today.  
-

Loki groaned softly when his brother dumped him on the bed in what was now Loki's room of the apartment. It felt like all his muscles were protesting the strain he'd put on them today. Minato had been unrelenting in him learning the basic Kata's taught at the Ninja Academy. Loki was surprised that the body could even bend some of the ways Minato had required of him. Kakashi had not been sympathetic, only agreeing to carry him when his abused limbs collapsed halfway back to the apartment.

Kakashi had not been amused with just how bad his aim had been when Minato had him start on Kunai throwing. The tall blonde had repeatedly adjusted his grip on the blades until he was happy with it, made him throw it, critiqued his aim and throw, and then made him do it all again. Loki was fairly certain that team practices were going to be his new version of hell. Rin had eased the majority of his muscle strains and assured him that it would get better once his body adjusted to the workouts. Loki really hoped so.

Obito had cursed and snarled in annoyance when Minato informed them that Loki was already able to wall-walk and informed Kakashi that they would be starting swimming lessons tommorow with a request for swim trunks for both Loki and Kakashi. Kakashi had nodded with his usual stoic expression and assured his Sensei that they would have the required clothes.

Loki had just started to drift off to sleep when Kakashi entered the room with a bento box and stern instructions to eat. Loki didn't need to be told twice, he was absolutely starving and practically inhaled the food despite complaints from the neccessary muscles. Kakashi hesitantly patted him on the head and left the room. Loki watched him go with an odd expression before smiling slowly and curling up in his bed to sleep.  
- 


	3. Chapter 3

7 MONTHS LATER -

Loki was grinning in an almost mad fashion behind his face mask as he dodged a swipe of Kakashi's blade. His older sibling was still much higher skilled than he was, but Loki who had recently turned five was quickly growing into his Shinobi heritage. Under Rin's tutelage Loki had quickly grasped the concept of chakra blades, and while not interested in becoming a Medic-nin Rin had talked him into learning at least the basic Jutsu involved in such a profession. Kakashi jerked back as his sixth sense registered the chakra blade milimeters from coming into contact with his side. He moved away, spinning out with a kick that Loki took the brunt of so that he could tag the back of his siblings leg. Kakashi scowled but shifted his weight so that he was no longer putting any weight on the 'injured' limb.

Loki smirked, letting his left arm hang limp and tucking the arm itself inside his vest to keep it out of the way. The spar continued for several more minutes until Minato called a halt to it and motioned Rin forward. The brunette jogged forward and started healing the scrapes and bruises that had accumulated on them. After a heated discussion between Minato and the Sandaime Hokage Loki had been added to the Team 7 as an additional member. His presence was necessary for Rin and Obito to compete in the Chunin Exams which required three man teams. The last war had ended not too long before Loki had arrived and this would be the first Chunin Exam held since then. Loki had been a Genin for just over five months, he'd slipped through just before the age restriction was put in place for graduation that only allowed certain canidates to graduate early. it helped that he'd arrived to the Academy already on par with the older students thanks to his training with Minato's team.  
Obito sitting off to the side was jeering at Kakashi about how such a 'little' Genin had managed to land a hit on him. Loki rolled his eyes. He knew for a fact that his brother had allowed the hit. Kakashi would be taking the Jounin Exam at the same time that they took the Chunin Exam. Loki was determined to become a Chunin so that he stood a chance of being able to take missions with his brother. He knew without a doubt that Kakashi would pass. Plus, Kakashi had promised to let him sign the Inu contract if he passed.  
-

Loki had his mouth hanging open, panting slightly, to try and cool his body down slightly. He fought the urge to down the water in his canteen and instead grabbed a packet of hot sauce and squirted it in his mouth. His mouth was now on fire, but his body was beggining to sweat again. He dry-swallowed a salt tablet and sipped some of his water. Obito, next to him, was guzzling his water. Rin was sipping like he was. Kakashi wasn't with them this time, off somewhere else to compete for his own promotion.

The sweltering desert was unforgiving and Loki, born on an island country, was struggling to adapt. Minato slowed to pace him and glanced down at his smallest Genin.

"You doing alright, Loki-kun?"

Loki nodded, to hot to bother attempting to talk. He gave a positive hand sign before letting his shoulders slump slightly. Minato nodded before reaching down and tapping the weights on Loki's wrists and ankles. Loki shot a confused expression at his Sensei.

"You can reinstate them when we get there, right now they're only slowing you down. You'll adjust faster to the heat without them."

Loki nodded. It was true, the heat wasn't half as bad with half of the weight holding him down gone. Two hours of walking later and they were outside the gates of Sunagakure no Sato. The guards looked over their papers thuroughly before letting them pass. They gave Minato a wide berth, and subsequently his students as well. The group quickly found their way to their designated hotel where Loki and Rin immediately settled down to sleep in the airconditioned room and the other two sat down at the table to talk over strategy.

It was four in the afternoon when the group headed downstairs to eat in the dining room. Tommorow was the first part of the Exam and Minato was making certain they had a decent meal and plenty of sleep the night before. Loki ate his food quickly before poking curiously at the desert they'd been delivered, it was some kind of cactus. He sniffed curiously before pushing the dish away from him, not willing to try it. Rin did the same while both Obito and Minato-Sensei ate like ravenous dogs.

Loki smirked as he watched the scene and felt at peace for the first time since they'd started training for the Exam. Life was good.  
-

Obito led the way into the Academy they were doing the first part of the Exam at. Rin immediately noticed a Genjutsu and subtly directed them around it. By walking on the ceiling they bypassed the 'guards' defending the Exam Room door. Neither of the idiots ever bothered to look up.

The room wasn't that large, and the small number of competitors stated all too clearly how the War had affected all of the Elemental Nations. Only seven teams were present when they entered the room, making that number eight. Loki immediately spotted the Elite Ninja stationed around the room in various points. His sense of smell easily picking them out by the scent of the sand on their uniforms. Rin nodded to show she noticed as well, she signalled to Obito who just rolled his eyes and took a seat off to one side of the room.

Another two teams made it into the room before the start time. Obito was all but ignoring them from his seat. Rin was looking around in curiousity, Loki was making a mental inventory of all of their scents to match their faces in case he had to come across them later on. Finally the proctor came in.

"Alright, as you can see there are enough doors around this room for each of your teams to take one. You will go in one at a time to be tested. You will then be let into another room, you are NOT to go anywhere near each other, if you are spotted near one another you will be disqualified, if you attempt to pass anything to your teammates, you will be disqualified, if at the end of the exercise you cannot complete the task given to you, you will fail."

The instructor glared around the room before starting the process. Rin was the first through the room. Obito was second, and Loki third. When Loki entered he was directed to sit down at the table. He immediately noticed a pattern of dots on the table invisible to the naked eye. They were small dots made by Rin made of scent pheromones. It would be useless for Obito, but it was enough for Loki. Cataloging the dots locations and putting them through his knowledge of ciphers he decoded a single phrase. 'Wind wears down the stone.' He turned his attention to the male who had just walked in through the other door. The male wore a blank expression and sat down in front of him.

"When you go through the other door you are to find out the rest of the code phrases for your team. Failure to do so will result in you failing the Exam. Your phrase is 'Wind strengthens the fire.' Go."

Loki nodded tightly before exiting out the door the male had come in from. When he stepped out of the door he made eye contact with both of his teammates who were sitting at opposite sides of the room. Looking towards a wall he brushed his bangs out of his face before frowning and rubbing a sore muscle in his arm. He adjusted the strap on his hitiate where it was wrapped around his arm, his thumb brushing just over his heart in the process. Rin blinked and Obito adjusted his goggles. Loki walked over to another corner of the room and got lost in a small crowd of people.

When he came out the other side he was two inches taller, thin as a rail and had black hair and blue-green eyes. He stalked over to lean on the wall next to Obito. Obito scowled and brushed his bangs out of his eyes, he brushed dust from his shoulder and spit on the floor. Loki snarled at him and jerked away, saying something derogatory about his manners before stalking back to the small crowd. Eventually the crowd dispersed to different areas, revealing Loki in his usual glory leaning against the wall like his teammates.

A few minutes later the proctor came into the room and snapped at all of the teams to stay seperated and pick a number between one and three. Once they were seperated by number the three groups were sent to different rooms. Loki strolled into the room in a bored fashion. The proctor went through the group and finally reached Loki.

"Phrase set."

"'Wind wears down the stone', 'Wind brushes the water', 'Wind strengthens the fire.'"

The proctor rolled his eyes and motioned him to take the door to exit the room on the left. Only two others had gone through that door before him. He waited in the side room with the rest, another two joining them. Eventually they were directed out into another room. Loki smirked when he spotted his grinning teammates. Two of the competitors cursed and stomped off after their sheepish looking teammate, the entire group disqualified. That left four teams of the original ten. The original proctor looked them over.

"You all pass, the second part of the Exam will start in two hours time. You are to go to your Jounin Instructor for instructions as to the next Exam and to eat the midday meal. Dismissed."  
-

They found Minato sequestered at a Dango stand, sipping on some type of icy drink. He looked up at them and smiled at their eager expressions.

"So...you passed?"

Three manical grins, one hidden behind a mask, answered his question. He chuckled and pointed to a stack of bento boxes.

"Alright, eat up, you'll have a better meal after the second phase, if you pass it, otherwise your eating ration bars for dinner."

All three of the Genins shuddered at that prospect.  
- 


	4. Chapter 4

SECOND PHASE OF CHUNIN EXAM -

The second phase of the Exam was being held several miles outside of the Village in an isolated training area. It was a point based system. They had three hours to retrieve as many hidden flags and assorted other objects as possible. The three teams with the highest score would move on to the next Exam, should there be a tie for third place, only two teams would pass. From the grins that the proctors were giving them, the test wasn't going to be as easy a they were letting on. Before the Exam started a scroll was passed around for them to sign, stating that should they die during the test Sand wasn't to be blamed. All the competitors signed, some less willingly than others.

Team 7 darted off into the sands as soon as the horn sounded. They ran for several minutes before finding a break between two dunes to settle in and plan. Obito pulled the list from his side pouch. He cursed harshly as he read through it.

"Flags, marked kunai, enemy weapons (not kunai or shuriken unless unique0, hitiates, sound symbols, scorpions, and rattlesnakes. They're trying to fucking kill us."

Rin ignored his rant though she did wince in sympathy. "Alright, then what are we going for?"

Loki settled onto his haunches to think. He was quiet for several minutes before looking up.

"Flags and scorpions if we can find them, does it say they have to be alive?"

"No."

Loki nodded.

"Snakes only if we must, weapons and hitiates will be harder. Sound symbols are probably well hidden or buried. We grab what we can find."

The other two nodded in agreement. They took a reverse point formation with two in front and one in back. Rin and Loki both started scenting the air, Obito was scanning the ground for signs of anything else. Rin gave the alert signal and started off to the left. A short while later they came across a scorpion nest. Obito grimaced but grabbed an empty scroll and held it open for his teammates as they caught and killed as many scorpions as they could reach without getting immediately stung. Finished with this set and seven scorpions richer they took formation again. Before they could move Obito made a clicking sound with his tongue and reached into the now abandoned nest to pull out a stone with the symbol of sand carved into it. Rin smiled at him but jerked back around at Loki's alert sign.

Heading right they moved along at a low, quiet pace until coming into sight of a pair of Sand Shinobi, obviously set up as 'enemies'. Both had two hitiates on their arms and a flag tied on their vest. Rin pointed back behind them and Obito cringed as he was sent to retrieve yet ANOTHER scorpion. He headed off around the dunes and Rin and Loki snuck up on the lounging pair. A quick application of medical chakra to accupuncture points had both men outcold and laid out on the ground. Rin and Loki collected the hitiates and flags. Loki grinned as he pulled a set of clan-marked senbon from one male and an intricately carved tanto off the others back. All items were bagged and the trio was off again.

A quiet exclamation brought them to a stop just over the dune. Obito grinned as he held up a scroll. With a quiet application of chakra it rolled open to reveal six flags and twelve small Sand-Symbol stones. It had obviously belonged to the two males and hidden so they could replace what was taken from them. Rin smirked, proctors loss, their gain.

Another alert symbol had them off again. This time they were intercepted by one of the other teams. Rin quickly disabled the other teams rather pathetic Medic-nin and held guard position as the boys dealt with the other two competitors. With all three competitors tied up Loki and Obito searched them. They came up with the other teams on spoils pouch. Obito snatched the other threes hitiates and Loki grabbed one boys windmill shuriken, a full two feet long folded, and the Medic-nin Kunoichi's purple and green striped war-fan. Another hit to accupncture points and the trio was off again.

Three rattlesnakes, two more guards who put up a much more difficult fight, and another nest of scorpions later the horn sounded again to end the search and the trio were escorted back to the starting line by a proctor. A heavily scarred proctor grinned darkly at them as they dumped their spoils onto the examination table.

In total they had:

16 Scorpions

23 Hitiates

7 Flags

3 Rattlesnakes

32 Assorted Weapons (each senbon was counted seperately in punishment to the guard who had been so easily defeated)

Grand Total of Items:

81

Score:

174

They had the largestscore out of all of the competitors by well over a hundred points. One of the teams hadn't had anything, and another had been ambushed, leaving only two qualifying teams. Items were returned to their original owners and the losing teams were sent off. The Proctors led the two remaining teams back to the original Exam room.

Minato let out a whoop as he spotted his team enter the room. Obito grinned back and Loki rolled his eyes, a small smile graced Rin's face. The Proctor scowled at Minato before speaking to the assembled Genin Teams and Instructors/Proctors.

"The final Phase will be held in two weeks due to the small number of contestants. During that time you are to prepare yourselves and heal up any injuries. A list will be posted on the door to your hotel rooms with the fight chart. Dismissed."  
-

Minato led the way to the Dango stand. He placed a double order of Dango and paid before leading the way to another restaurant. Obito jumped up with a screech of delight.

"Ramen!"

Loki hung his head in a defeated fashion, Rin rolling her eyes. Minato chuckled before pointing next door at a Sushi Shop. Rin immediately perked up. Loki just sighed. He was jerked out of his stupor when one of the Dango orders was shoved under his nose. He blinked up at Minato before giving an eye smile and following Rin into the Sushi shop. Minato rolled his eyes before taking Obito into the Ramen Shop.  
-

That night, when they returned to the hotel there was a scroll stuck to the door. Minato grabbed it before leading the way into the room. He flipped it around and held it out for them to see.

Rin Inuzuka 1

Obito Uchiha 2

Loki Hatake 3

Takashi Sessho 3

Inumi Kurosaki 1

Gin Natsumi 2

Winner of 3 gets a Free Pass into round 3

2 versus 1

Winner versus 3

Obito groaned. "Why, oh why, do I have to fight Rin?!"

Rin rolled her eyes.

"You would have to win first."

Obito gave a mock offended look before smirking. Loki just ignored them and flopped down on the floor beside Minato and started cleaning his blades.  
- 


	5. Chapter 5

A/N

It has been pointed out to me that Loki seems really strong. And I would like to expand on this.

Yes, Loki seems strong. However, I would like to point out that his strength is not actual 'strength' exactly.

For Example:  
Weights, even if they aren't very heavy, feel heavy. A person is naturally accustomed to carrying their own weight, and anything extra can feel drastically heavier. Loki is five years old, and weighs about 40-45 lbs. His weights are in total about 20-25 lbs. I am assuming that due to the natural flow of chakra in a Shinobi's body that they are able to go up in muscle strength at a faster pace than a regular civilian would. Even with 25 lbs total that is only five per limb and another five at waist level. He also doesn't wear them at all times as that would stunt his growth. The natural force of gravity on the weights would make them feel heavier to Loki.

Skill level. Loki is in a three man team, he is also brother to Kakashi. Kakashi would not allow any sibling, an intelligent one anyway, to be anything but excellent at what they do. Loki is naturally intelligent, which is not too surprising considering how intelligent Kakashi is. The first fight in the sands, anyone can be trained to hit accupunsture points, in fact, a Medic-nin would be trained to and Rin's been teaching Loki. Also, during the Second Phase of the Exam it does not go into detail on the second major fight or even on the attempted ambush. But, again, it's a three man team, and Loki is much younger than his teammates.

Tree Climbing. It is entirely possible that like with accidental magic a person could learn to harness chakra. It would be difficult, but people tend to learn much more quickly when their life or limb is at stake. Once tree or wall climbing mastered, the easier chakra exercises would be easy by comparison. And Loki isn't perfect. Afterall, up until he started training he couldn't swim. There was a 7 month time skip, and it doesn't tell you how long it took him to learn to swim or even how good he was at it.

First Phase of Chunin Exam. Anyone can learn code, especially ciphers. I have a seven year old cousin that likes to challenge me by making them up and then giving them to me to be deciphered. With enough practice and a natural inclination for them it would be easy to learn. And regular people can slip in and out of crowds to slip someones notice. Shinobi hand signs are similar to sign language, and toddlers learn that all the time. And it has already been pointed out that Hatake's are close to their dogs and have a heightened sense of smell.

Obito and the War. I will admit that I am tweaking this one a little bit. I am changing the timeline around a little bit so that Obito dies shortly after the Exam during a skirmish. Not all Wars end cleanly. Sometimes rogue groups can and do make attacks in an attempt to keep the war going. That is the principle I am using here. The Mission that Team 7 is sent on that ends up with Obito dying will be them trying to keep the war from starting up again. Loki will not be present on that Mission.

FLyingturtleduck: (interesting name by the way) I absolutely loved your reviews. I have tried to add spaces between the chapters, even added extras on my harddrive versions before posting them, and it still isn't showing up. o.0 And the yelling out the song was not the intentional way for it to be taken but I couldn't stop laughing for five minutes when I realized you were right. Also, I'm glad you like Loki's heritage, it will come into play later on.  
A/N

Final Phase of the Exam (Part One)  
-

Rin was fidgeting slightly in her seat next to Loki. He glanced over at the nervous girl before rolling his eyes.

"You'll be fine Rin."

She blinked, blushed, and glanced back at him.

"But what if I'm not? I don't want to hold anyone back."

Loki kept eye contact with her as he gave her the look that deserved.

"Rin...we're a team. You don't hold us back. You're also the Medic-nin of our squad, we wouldn't be here without you. So stop worrying. If anyone should be worrying it's me. I'm younger than every other competitor here, and a third my first opponents size. Even Obito has a better chance of passing than me."

"Hey!" Obito squaked from his other side. Rin put a hand over her mouth and giggled before ruffling Loki's hair. Loki scowled behind his mask and tried to straighten his hair to some simblance of neatness. He shot a playful glare at her. Rin was unrepentant and smacked Obito on the arm when he continued to grumbled under his breath. But she did relax more.

Loki glanced around the stadium, seeing who all had come from Konoha. He could see a few civilians, as well as Councilman Danzo and a tall thin man who was having a heated discussion with a white-haired dude that Minato referred to as Jiraya-Sensei. The tall thin man finally had enough and prowled over to another seat, his serpentine eyes glancing over to their small group before giving a creepy smirk when he noticed Loki watching him. A cold wind shivered up his spine and his attention snapped back on his teammates who were bickering again.

"You need to quiet down, we're starting soon."

That snapped both of his teammates into silence. A few minutes later the latest Proctor stepped into the sandy arena below. The audience slowly quieted down and the man began to speak.

"Ladies and Gentleman, there will be five battles held today, with 15 minute breaks between the preliminary matches, the final match will begin five minutes after the last preliminary. They will go until one of the fighters concedes defeat or is unable to continue battling. This is a no-holds barred match, but steps will be taken to insure that no competitor is killed outright."

Loki frowned at that. So, apparently, the competitors could get away with poisoning their opponent, but not stabbing them in the heart. Obito and Rin nodded at his glance to let him know they'd caught it too. All three of them discreetly checked their holsters to be sure they were carrying vials of antidotes and anti-venoms for the local wildlife. They all three turned their attention back to the Proctor when he spoke again.

"Inuzuka Rin and Kurosaki Inumi, come down to the arena."

Obito and Loki wished Rin luck as she went down.

-  
The First Battle -

Rin and Inumi settled into their fighting stances as soon as the signal was given. Rin had chosen to let the other person make the first move. The other girl grinned manically and charged. Rin frowned. The girl was just like Obito, brash. She dodged the first flurry of strikes, instead calling chakra blades to her hands and slashing at key points in the girl's leading arm. The girl jumped backwards with a screech, her left arm hanging useless at her side. Rin took the momentary distraction and dissappeared between the rocks and sand dunes that made up the arena floor along with a small pool of water and scraggly trees at the waters edge.

Inumi roughly tied her arm to her belt and took a defensive stance. The arena was quiet for several minutes, with both the girl and the audience growing impatient. Finally, the sand burst up behind the girl and Rin struck out, hitting a point on the back of the girl's neck. She dropped to the ground unconscious.

"Winner, Inuzuka Rin."

Rin followed the Medic-nin as they carried the girl out of the arena and Obito rolled his eyes beside Loki. They both knew she was going to make sure that the girl was okay. Obito sprawled backwards in his seat.

"Well, if they're all that easy than I got nothing to worry about."

Loki scoffed before turning to his teammate.

"Just because the girl wasn't that great doesn't mean the other two boys are bad. They could still be good enough to beat you."  
Obito waved it off.

"Nah, I'm just so awesome that I'll kick their ass and then your's."

Loki smirked at him with a hidden feral grin.

"You'd have to beat Rin first."

Obito paled at that. It was rare for Obito to spar with Rin in a hardcore fashion. The boy simply disliked hurting his female teammate. As a consequence, Obito had little experience fighting Rin flat out. Rin, on the other hand, could learn plenty simply by being the teams Medic. She watched the fights and healed the wounds gained from them. She probably had a better understanding of all three of her teammates fighting styles than they did.

Obito excused himself to go check on Rin a few minutes later. Loki stayed where he was, he wasn't surprised when a few minutes later the tall serpentine man sat down next to him.

"Hello, and who are you? I was unaware that Team 7 had taken on another member. Especially one so young."

Loki looked up at the man and fought hard to suppress the shiver the man caused in him. He nodded politely in greeting, this was one of the Sannin afterall.

"Hatake Loki, younger brother to Hatake Kakashi. I believe you are Oorichimaru of the Sannin, correct?"

The man smiled, revealing to slightly longer than normal canine teeth. They were thin and reminded Loki strongly of a poisonous viper.

"Yes, I am. How are you enjoying the Exam so far?"

Loki shrugged one shoulder in a noncommital fashion.

"Not sure yet, it's the first one I've attended. Hopefully the only one as a participant."

The man's grin widened fractionally.

"Indeed." He continued speaking with Loki for a few minutes before looking up when Obito and Rin started their way back up into the stands.

"Until we speak again, young Hatake."

"As you wish, Oorichimaru-sama."

The snake-like man wandered off back in the direction of his seat. Loki watched after him for several minutes before turning back to his teammates as they sat down on either side of him.

"Who was that?" Obito asked with a curious look. Rin and Loki both stared at him like he was some interesting specimen before Rin slowly spoke, acting as if she was surprised to have to explain this to their not-so-intelligent teammate.

"That was Oorichimaru of the Sannin. I'm surprised he's interested in any of us at all actually."

She looked at Loki with a curious expression. Loki just shrugged, he didn't get it either. The conversation was interupted as the next fight was called.

"Uchiha Obito and Natsumi Gin, to the arena floor."

-  
The Second Battle -

Obito jogged down to the arena before -skipping- into the arena. His opponent, a tall, thin, light-blue haired youth gave him an odd look. Eventually the male just rolled his eyes and waited. As soon as the sinal was given Obito took off into the sand. Loki smiled at that, apparently his and Rin's lectures about making time to plan had had an affect. He was annoyed that Obito was planning MIDBATTLe, but it was planning none-the-less.

The blue-haired youth scowled before taking a circuitous route to find his wayward opponent. Luckily, Obito proved his skills at hiding. Frustrated, the blue haired male returned to the center of the arena and started doing handsigns. After the last sign a wind swept out in a pinwheel motion from his body, blowing away the top three inches or so of sand. Obito used the cover of opaque wind to dart forward and engage Gin in a Taijutsu match.

Both boys proved to be tenacious however and they ended up breaking apart with both a little worse for wear. Obito's hands flashed through familiar handsigns that anyone who knew a Uchiha would recognize immediately. Katon: Grand Fireball. Gin dodged the ball of flame and sent a shockwave of compressed air and sand back at Obito. Obito blocked with an earthen wall made of sand and dissapeared again.

Gin once again sent out a wave of air, but Obito used the Jutsu against him by suddenly flying through a set of handseals aimed at the wind 'spokes' fire pulsed into life from his palms with the wind strengthening it. Obito made a twisting motion with his hands, causing the flames to lash out at the blue-haired male as if they were a whip. Gin immediately broke off the Jutsu and dove to the side, barely missing being smacked with the rope of flame. Obito darted forward again for another brief spar that again broke off. Both opponents finally backed off from each other and shot several mid-level Jutsu to try and throw the other off. Finally, Obito managed to get close enough to Gin to land a chopping hit to the back of the male's neck. Gin dropped to the ground unconscious. Obito followed seconds later, outcold from chakra exhaustion.

The Proctor came forward and checked to see that both males were down for the count. He turned to the audience.

"Mutual KO, neither advances."

Rin took off down the stairs with Loki not far behind. They were quickly led to a side room where the injured contestants were being kept. They found Obito being laid out on a bed with a Medic-nin looking over both him and Gin. Minato hummed from his spot against the wall when they came in before giving them both an encouraging smile.

"He'll be fine. Medic-nin says he'll be up and about in a week."

Rin sighed in relief before taking a seat next to Obito. Loki took a post on the wall beside Minato-sensei. Minato looked down at him before a slow, small smile crossed his face.

"Nervous?"

Loki looked up at his Sensei and nodded. Minato nodded back.

"That's alright, everyone's allowed to be nervous from time to time."

Loki let out his breath in a long sigh before relaxing against the wall in a slouch. He suppressed a grin, knowing how much he resembled his brother. Kakashi wouldn't be caught dead showing less than perfect posture with his fanaticism with rules. The thought of his brother was oddly comforting. He'd never known what having a sibling, even a stickler of one, was like before coming here. Even having a team was a new experience, a good one. He'd never had anyone to rely on before. He stood up, shaken from his thoughts, when he heard the five minute bell. His match would be starting soon. He glanced around his team one last time before heading up. He would pass, if only to stay with them.

-  
Third Battle -

Loki settled into a loose fighting stance in the middle of the arena floor. His opponent was simply watching him with an expression on his face that showed sincere disbelief that he was going up against a toddler of all things. Loki ignored the expression and waited for the signal. The moment it was given he dissapeared into the scrub. Takashi Sessho, his opponent, scowled as his eyes swept the arena looking for Loki.

Loki was hidden behind a high-level cloaking Jutsu that he'd begged Kakashi for, and had finally been taught as a birthday present. It was one step below those used by ANBU, and quite decent at hiding him from another Chunin-wannabe. He studied Takashi as he moved about the arena in search of him. In the back of his mind he was already plotting possible scenarios. He was quite aware that they all could go wrong, and he was fighting an uphill battle as his opponent looked to be around 13, and was stocky in build. If he was going to win he would have to manipulate the male into an area of his choice and set up a suitable trap.

He studied the male's reaction time as a small trap that had been left behind by Obito was triggered. Loki had easily recognized it from experience, but the male obviously hadn't been expecting it. He dodged most of it, but he had more damage on one side of his body than the other. Meaning that the male was more dependent on the right side of his body, often leading with it when he moved. Loki internally rolled his eyes, only idiots became reliant on one side over the other, even Obito was smarter than that.

Loki, deciding he had already waited long enough, slipped out of the tree and started setting up traps and gathering chakra. It took some maneuvering to set up the traps without being spotted by his now ticked-off opponent, but he managed. Takashi finally seemed to have enough and started randomly throwing senbon in an attempt to flush him out. Loki did roll his eyes this time, but obliged the male by sending a small shock of electricly charged chakra at the male. Takashi spun around as it made contact, glaring daggers as he shook his arm to get feeling back.

Loki threw a series of kunai at the male's weak side, forcing him to dodge again and again until he came into contact with one of the traps. The male let out a girlish shriek as he was yanked upwards by one ankle in nin-wire and Loki flashed through a short series of handsigns before sending a shockwave of air and sand at his opponent. The attack both worked and didn't. Just before it hit his opponent, slamming the male into a tree hard enough to knock him out, Takashi had thrown several senbon and two kunai. Loki had been forced to remain still to direct the airwave, and wasn't able to completely dodge the attack.

When the sand cleared Takashi was hanging upside down from a tree branch, unconscious, and Loki was leaning against a tree, bleeding with a Kunai in the side, and several senbon sticking out of one arm. The Proctor checked on Takashi before cutting him down.

"Winner, Hatake Loki."

Rin came into the arena in time to see a Medic-nin removing the last of the senbon from Loki's arm as another wrapped bandages around his chest. The pair finished just in time for the Proctor to announce the last match.

"Inuzuka Rin, against, Hatake Loki."

Loki motioned for a pause from Rin, so Rin waited. Loki carefully attempted to bend oneway and then another before shaking his head and signaling that he conceded defeat. The Proctor blinked before nodding.

"Winner by Forfeiture, Inuzuka Rin."

Rin immediately moved towards Loki, double-checking the bandages and then leading her annoyed teammate out of the arena and into the Medic-bay. Loki simply rolled his eyes and allowed her to half-carry, half-drag him to a bed to sit down. Once he was situated the two Medics from before moved back over to him, tightening the bandages and admonishing him to take it easy as the senbon had struck nerves, and the Kunai wound would take time to heal without causing more damage.

Minato smirked from his place against the wall and allowed the three females to bicker over Loki before shooing them away so he could talk with his team. Obito was still asleep in his bed. Loki shook his head sadly as Minato walked over. Minato frowned.

"What's up my littlest one?"

Loki frowned at the unwanted nickname.

"I'm not going to get promoted, I forfeited the last match. There was no way I was going to win with these injuries, against Rin."

Minato just shook his head.

"Not neccessarily, knowing when you're beat is a good trait for a Shinobi, it means that they won't attempt to do something beyond what they are capable of without just cause. The battle was not a life or death situation, and as such, winning was not of as much importance as survival."

Loki nodded before slowly laying down to rest.  
- 


	6. Chapter 6

Loki followed Obito's rambunctious form back through the gate into Konohagakure No Sato. Rin smiled softly as she watched him in amusement. Minato had a smug smirk on his face, Loki could already imagine how much he was going to brag about having four Chunin students, or at least three Chunin and a Jounin. Loki knew for a fact that Obito was going to be his usual self, and an ass, and attempt to rub his promotion in Kakashi's face.

As if called by his thoughts Kakashi drifted out of the shadows from just inside the gate. Loki grinned manically beneath his mask, his eyes glittering as he recognized his brother's new uniform. It appeared that the prodigy had made it to Jounin after all. Kakashi raised a brow in Loki's direction, glancing questioningly at Loki's 'vestless' chest. Loki rolled his eyes.

"They don't make Chunin vests in toddler size. I was hoping to get your old one."

Kakashi nodded. He gave just the barest change of expression, one that told Loki he was proud of him. Kakashi reached into his vest and pulled out a scroll, tossing it to Loki. Loki caught it with a curious expression. Unsealing it he found two objects. The first was a small Chunin vest that he slipped on without preamble. Minato was chuckling in the background with a smartass comment about midget ninjas. Kakashi and Loki masterfully ignored him. The second object brought an immediate reaction from Loki, for once acting like a child he jumped up and spun around before darting forward and hugging his brother. In his hand was the Inu Summoning Contract. Kakashi awkwardly returned the hug.

A short discussion, brief argument, and 'head-meet-ground' for Obito via Rin, and the group found their way to the Hokage tower. The Sandaime Hokage smiled at them from his place behind the large desk that took up a good portion of space. His grin widened in pride when he recognized that all three of them had advanced to Chunin.

"I see that congradulations are in order. I am proud to accept my three newest Chunin into the ranks of my ninja, may your careers be prosperous."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Three voices echoed back.

"And of course, my newest Jounin."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Kakashi answered.

"Well done, Minato, you have once again proven to be an excellent teacher."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama."

"Good, now that the necessities are out of the way, your team will be off missions for the next week so that you may rest, afterwards you will return to active duty. You may continue training. Hatake, Loki you are being removed from active duty until you are cleared by a qualified medic. Due to your young age you are to be fully healed before being returned to active duty. The Medic records returned with you from Sunagakure No Sato have stated that you suffered a mild nerve toxin from your contact with poisoned senbon, as well as a Kunai strike to a sensitive area of muscles that should be growing through a growth spurt soon. You are to do only light duty, within village limits until returned to full duty."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

* * *

Loki was panting heavily from his place on the ground. He was training with his first, and so far only, Nin-kin while the rest of Team Seven was away on a mission. Said mission was to stop the war from starting again. Peace was tenuous, and any uprising could spark it again. He was pulled from such thoughts by a nudge at his shoulder. He looked up and into the face of a pure black Siberian Husky. Kakashi had taken one look at the pitch black animal and told Loki that he was to only take it into Suna climates when no other choice was workable. It would be cruel to the Nin-kin to subject it to such temperatures.

White-gray eyes studied him for several seconds before the Nin-kin sat down on its haunches and relaxed.

"We are done for the day, Gaki. You were only recently returned to active duty. We will not pressure you so harshly."

Loki scowled but nodded his ascent. Takeru (Warrior), was a male Nin-dog. He was a strong fighter and had no qualms with pushing Loki to his limits, but he 'respected that pups needed to grow' and would not stress Loki beyond the necessary.

"You may go, Takeru." The Husky nodded before fading in a wisp of smoke. Loki frowned as he looked off towards the east, the direction his team had went. He had a sudden, foreboding feeling, and he fought to keep an unwarranted terror from taking root. With a last glance in that direction he headed home.

* * *

The rain was pouring down harshly the day that Obito's memorial was held. It was a closed ceremony with only the Uchiha Clan allowed within their walls. Loki was huddled underneath the trees at the edge of the training ground nearest the Memorial Stone. He'd been staring at the stone for several hours now, shivering in the rain. Minato had joined him an hour or so ago, he hadn't spoken yet. Loki figured he needed the quiet as much as Loki did. Kakashi was still in the Hospital, Rin was at home with her family, mourning in her own way.

Loki didn't know how to mourn. Didn't seem like Minato did either. Even Kushina was quiet, Loki hadn't seen her for a couple of days. Finally, as it started to really get dark Minato scooped Loki up in his arms and carried the shivering child back to the apartment Loki shared with his brother. Takeru followed a few steps behind. The Husky had refused to return to the summon realms after Loki had called him just to train himself into the ground to take his mind off of his brother.

Loki didn't complain when he was stripped and set in the tub for a brief, warm bath. He didn't argue when food was set before him and he was ordered to eat. He didn't do much of anything until Minato started to leave. A muffled protest brought the blonde back into the living room. Loki crawled into the lap of the only adult he really trusted and cried himself to sleep.

* * *

Kakashi was let out three days later. For days Loki couldn't drag him away from the Memorial Stone, so he ended up sitting there with him. Minato would eventually hunt them down, train for a short while, and then force them home to eat. At the end of the second week Minato stomped off with Kakashi in tow and disappeared into the countryside for several hours.

When they came back Kakashi was more alive then he'd been lately, and while he still visited the stone, it wasn't a constant watch. Loki didn't know what Minato had done, but he was happy to have his brother back.

**Author's Note:** I am skipping over the Kyuubi attack. Suffice to say that Loki was 6 at the time of the attack, his birthday is in December. I really don't see how I can go over the Kyuubi attack in a way that hasn't already been done too many times before, so I'm not going to go into detail.

Yes, Loki was involved in the fight, after which he was Field Promoted to Jounin. I am assuming that many Ninja were Field Promoted during that time period to make up for the loss in Ninja during the attack (how else would someone as stupid as Mizuki make Chunin?).

No, Loki is not going to take on a Genin team, he is 6, almost seven when I start the next chapter. No self-respecting Genin is going to accept someone younger than them as their sensei. He may get one eventually, but, the Hokage is aware of Loki's background and knows that eventually he will have to return to England for schooling during the school year, and will return to the village during the summer. Loki will continue his training at the school, Kakashi will visit from time to time (information gathering).


	7. Chapter 7

Loki sat completely still in his place in a corner of the Hokage's Office. While the majority of his attention was on the Mission (Being the Hokage's Personal Guard for the day) a small portion was sifting around in the back of his mind, going over memories of the last couple of years.

The year directly after the Kyuubi attack had been a virtual hell. Anyone with at least a year of experience had been promoted, and even some who had been Ninja for less (such as Loki). The newly appointed Jounin had been either directed into small teams for set missions to keep the villages reputation up, or drafted directly into ANBU. Loki had hated ANBU with a passion those first few months. Age didn't matter on missions, personal strengths meant little, weaknesses were exploited in training, and you were no longer a person the moment you donned the mask.  
Loki had been designated as ANBU Hawk, and like his brother had been placed in the Hunter/Assassination section of ANBU. Kakashi was Assassination, Loki was Hunter. Rin, Loki cringed internally at the thought of Rin. Rin had died as a Jinchuriki, kidnapped by Kirigakure and later killed by Kakashi (she intercepted one of his attacks). Loki knew it hurt Kakashi, but there was nothing he could do about it. Kakashi would have to deal with it on his own.  
Loki had been one of the Hunter's sent after Orochimaru, and had been the only one to return alive, having been spared by the Nuke-nin. He hadn't been unscathed however. Orochimaru had captured him and kept him in a lab for several weeks. No one was quite sure what he had done, the only knew that he had done something. Loki also had a curse seal over his throat, somehow his magic had kept it inactive, but it wasn't permanent, eventually the magic would stop, or the seal would adapt. The biggest change was in Loki's bone structure. His already thin frame was even thinner, his eyes had remained relatively the same, but the pupils had become slitted, much like Orochimaru's. His canine teeth had lengthened and thinned, becoming snakelike. Loki hated the teeth because they resulted in a slight lisp whenever he spoke, particularly on the 's' sound.

Loki's attention returned completely to the room as the door opened. He relaxed slightly when a blond-haired, blue-eyed toddler came into the room. Naruto was three, and hyper. The child seemed to completely miss the way people reacted to him, smiling at everyone. Loki didn't dislike the child, but it was hard to be around him. Naruto was the spitting image of Minato-sensei, and it hurt to look at him and see the only father figure that Loki had ever really known, his wizard father having been mostly absent, and his shinobi father dead.

Naruto smiled up at the Hokage, rambling on in broken sentences that only grandparents and parents seemed to understand. The Hokage smiled back at the toddler, hmming every once in a while to show he was listening, and responding when the child apparently asked a question. Loki was relieved when his replacement arrived an hour and a half later, slipping out of the room unnoticed and making his way back to ANBU HQ.

* * *

Kakashi wasn't in. Loki expected that. His elder brother had already returned from his previous mission and left with another. He tiredly made his way to his room, sprawling out on the bed and reaching over to a nearby shelf to pick out a book. He glanced idly at it before his face went bright red. It was porn. Loki rolled his eyes and pulled three similar books off the shelf before carrying them over to Kakashi's room. They were dumped on the bed with a quickly pinned note for Kakashi to keep his nasty books to himself. A slight smile could be seen in his eyes, amusement evident.

Humming to himself he headed into the kitchen and made himself a quick meal. He blinked when a hawk swept in through the window and landed on the table, barely stopping before it would have knocked a salt shaker into his soba noodles. He scowled at it before tugging the note from its leg.

'Hawk  
Mission'

An eye roll later and he dumped his half finished meal in the trash. His mask was redonned, posture immediately blanking, and he disappeared in a Shunshin. The hawk glanced idly at the windswept leaves before taking off back out the window.

Loki reappeared back inside of HQ. An ANBU with a Rabbit mask motioned him towards the Mission Office. He nodded to the figure and slipped inside. The room was dark, only the light reflecting off the blank mask of the ANBU Director visible.

"Hawk." The voice was mechanical, modified to be unrecognizable. The room smelled strongly of some kind of spice that temporarily reduced Loki's sense of smell to zero. He strongly wanted to sneeze, but knew from experience he would only inhale more of the scent, and that made the itchy feeling in his nostrils worse.

"Director-sama."

"Mission directives are on the scroll." Said scroll was tossed to him in an underhand fashion. He caught it easily by sound alone. "Do you accept."

It wasn't a question.

"Hai."

"Mission begins at dawn, dismissed."

* * *

Loki unrolled the scroll as soon as he entered his room at HQ. It was spare, containing only a small desk with writing utensils, a small mat to sleep, and a closet containing ANBU uniforms, his face masks, and a single spare ANBU mask that would only react to his personal chakra signal. The mission was simple, he would be running a patrol with a squad of ANBU. He was going along as the tracker, and was tasked ONLY with leading them to their target, he was only to engage if attacked or his skills were needed.

Loki bit his thumbs and went through the necessary hand signs. A puff of smoke later and three Nin-dogs sat before him. Takeru was in front, looking up at Loki with a serious expression. Kuroda (Black Field) stood behind and to Takeru's left. He was a black and white German Shepherd, and an excellent tracker. He had the best nose of Loki's pack. To Takeru's right was Yumi (beautiful bow, as in bow and arrow), a beautiful grey Egyptian Wolf-dog, she was the fastest of the pack and the second best tracker.

The three sat through having collars with no symbols placed on them. Each collar had a one-time summon seal to be used in case of a summoners death to retrieve whatever they may be carrying in relation to the summoner's last mission. Kakashi's Nin-dogs had them as well, as did all summon animals belonging to ANBU members.

Loki gave the dogs their orders before sitting down in the Lotus position to meditate. It was still a few hours until dawn.

* * *

A wet nose to the inner elbow brought Loki out of his trance. He nodded to Kuroda and rose to his feet. Boy and dogs exited the building unnoticed. The rest of the team was already waiting at the gate. Loki stilled when he spotted Tora (Tiger) the leader for this mission. The ANBU gave a brief series of handsigns, relaying orders, before taking off into the morning sun.

Travel was fast and silent, idle chit-chat was discouraged on missions. It took three hours of travel before they came upon the site of a recent battle. Tora made eye-contact with Loki before pointing to an area of spilled blood. Loki and pack approached the area and quickly gained the scent they were looking for. Within moments the group was moving again.

Loki knew by the tracks and splatters that whoever they were chasing was heavily injured and weakening. The trail was getting fresher by the minute, the scent of exhaustion intermixed with fear stronger as the miles passed. Kuroda and Yumi were moving faster, more sure of their target. As trained they halted the moment they came within a scent only a few minutes old. Yumi looked back to Loki and huffed nearly inaudibly. Loki motioned the pair back to him, Takeru having remained beside him the entire time. He looked to Tora for orders.

Tora signaled permission.

Loki silently pulled a blade from a hidden pouch and lowered his mask just past his nose. With a flick of his wrist both Yumi and Kuroda disappeared back to the summons realm. Loki crept forward slowly, Takeru a silent shadow at his heels. The pair followed their noses at a slow pace, making certain of any path ahead of them in case of traps before moving forward. Their quarry was nearby and wary. Several agonizing minutes later Takeru caught movement ahead and nudged Loki's leg. Loki caught sight of it as well and signaled the location to Tora.

Loki dropped back and let the team move ahead of him, falling into the usual routine of covering their backs. Silent minutes later the team returned, slightly bloodier and carrying a body-sealing scroll. The scroll was placed on Takeru's collar and the dog dispersed back to the summon realms. With a silent signal the team disappeared into the trees.

**Author's Note:**

Pack:

Takeru (warrior) Fighter, Alpha, Lightning Elemental Manipulation –Husky  
Kuroda (Black Field) Tracker, Shadow Manipulation (can do a type of magic) –German Shepherd  
Yumi (beautiful bow, as in bow and arrow) Tracker, Wind Elemental Manipulation –Egyptian Wolf-dog  
Ishikawa (Stone River) Earth Elemental Manipulation, Seal User –Great Dane  
Sakura (Cherry Blossom) Genjutsu, Fire Elemental Manipulation (a very fickle female with vanity issues) –Cocker Spaniel  
Masato (Sacred Person) Healer, Water Elemental Manipulation (female, very serene) –Burmese Mt. Dog


	8. Chapter 8

Kakashi was smirking at him with that one-eyed smile. _Kakashi._ Loki glanced between his brother and Gai, who appeared to be trying to hold himself back. Loki had the oddest feeling that he should definitely be remembering something, but for the life of him he couldn't pull it up out of the back of his mind. Watching the duo warily he slowly made his way around them to get to his and Kakashi's front door. He really wasn't in the mood for one of Gai's hair-brained competitions. He was cold, tired, and had just returned from a Hunt that took a week and a half flirting with Stone Country's Border.

He slowly worked his way around them and opened the door. It was only Kakashi's reflexive grip on his wrist that stopped him from reaching his Kunai pouch when the lights suddenly flipped on and people jumped out yelling "Happy Birthday!" Loki relaxed in the hold and Kakashi eye-smiled at him as he let go of the captured limb. If any of the people inside realized how close they'd come to being skewered they didn't say anything. It was one of those things that seasoned shinobi didn't talk about. And if one of them came close to attacking a fellow shinobi on reflex it wasn't mentioned.

Loki recognized a few of the people, but a couple of them were obviously friends of Kakashi who had been invited along. After a round of greetings and introductions Loki found himself in a seat at the single table in the house with a bright green present in his lap. He sighed inaudibly as he accepted the present and carefully unwrapped it, setting the paper on the table. The present ended up being a book on Taijutsu and chakra weight bands. Loki looked up into the beaming face of Gai and forced a believable grin onto his expression.

"Ah…thanks, Gai."

"YOU ARE VERY WELCOME, MY YOTHFUL COMRADE!"

Loki absently tapped an ear to make sure his hearing was still intact before picking up the next gift. He knew by the black and red wrapping paper who had gotten this one. A glance in Itachi's direction confirmed it. His fellow 11-year old nodded to him with an unheard 'hnn'. Loki unwrapped the package to find a scroll with Lightning Jutsu and a set of meditation bells. He actually did smirk at that one. Anko gave him Dango vouchers and Kurenai smirked when she handed him the latest version of the Bingo book with a page already marked. He flipped it open and choked on a laugh as he read the inscription of the newest addition. It had been placed just below his brother's.

"Byaku Sessho (White Death)"

Slim, 4'10", blue slitted eyes

Konoha ANBU, Hawk

Approach with extreme caution, Jounin-Rank only

Bounty- *******Ryo

Kurenai gave a close-lipped smile in return. There was a brief round of chuckles and jokes from the assembled group. Loki rolled his eyes and reached for the next gift. All together he got several sets of new weapons and a few smaller Jutsu, including a small scroll on Wind Manipulation. He was starting to get a little bored of the presents when Kakashi stepped in front of him. Loki looked up and froze.

His hands were shaking when he reached out for the sheath Kakashi was holding in front of him. The blade was sheathed in a lead-lined scabbard, the black blade hidden behind the decorations of playing dogs on the sheath. Loki knew without drawing the blade that it would have a single Hound running down the short blade on both sides in blue lines. It was a chakra blade, one of Sakumo's. Kakashi had a similar blade, a chakra Fang, sheathed at his hip. Loki reverently grasped the Tanto and slid it from the sheath. It shined darkly in the lighted room. The entire room had gone quiet, knowing that this gift meant something.

Loki and Kakashi's eyes met. The elder nodded shortly and released the sheathed blade. Loki stood and placed the sheath across his back before tugging his older sibling into a hug that was softly returned.

The rest of the night was lively, it was expected considering that Loki had been born on New Year's Eve. The party lasted till well past midnight, Loki was asleep long before then. Kakashi smiled down at his younger sibling as he picked him up and carried him into the second bedroom. Loki barely stirred, only curled closer into Kakashi's chest. Kakashi set his brother on his futon and hummed softly under his breath till he let go of his death grip on Kakashi's vest. Kakashi carefully removed his armor and the Tanto, leaving the pouches on the small table beside the bed and slipping a kunai beneath the pillow. With a last glance in his brother's direction he left the room, quietly blowing out the light.

* * *

Loki woke up in his bed, though he didn't recall falling asleep. With a yawn he pulled together his clothes for the day and headed to the shower, a quick look in Kakashi's room showed that his brother was still asleep, porn book covering his snoring face. Loki rolled his eyes and headed to the shower. Breakfast was onigiri, and he made sure to leave some on the table for Kakashi, positioned dead center so the half-asleep male couldn't miss them.

He was just about to head out the door when he heard the sound of wings. He glanced over to see an owl landing on the chair where messenger hawks usually ended up. It was holding a letter in its beak. Loki frowned, shinobi didn't send letters, but he wasn't sure who else used birds. He had just started to reach out to the bird when a memory of his mother popped up in his head. He blinked, stilling as he thought about why a wizarding bird would be here of all places. He pulled the letter from the bird which promptly ducked its head and went to sleep. He flipped it over to see a crest on the wax seal. It was an H.

He frowned, trying to recall why the H was so important. He sat back down as he thought it over. The memories from England were starting to get faint, rusty from long disuse. It was as he looked over at the last of the cake on the counter that it registered what the H was and why the bird was here. He dropped his head back with a sigh before shifting forward in his seat to read the letter.

_Loki R. Hatake-Lestrange,_

_ We at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are proud to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts. Included is a list of supplies required of all first years, as well as your train ticket for Kings Cross Station, London. We expect your reply by no later than July 31__st__ of this year. A prompt reply will be helpful to all. Due to the long distance to be traveled the owl will remain with you until a reply is sent._

_Thank You,_

_Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall_

Loki flipped the envelope over and read the address.

**Loki R. Hatake-Lestrange**

**Second Bedroom, Apt. 63, Shinobi District**

**Konohagakure No Sato, Elemental Isles**

He set the envelope on fire, startling the bird temporarily. It hooted imperiously at him before going back to sleep. He pulled the supply list over to him and read it as well.

_**UNIFORM:**_

_**First year students will require:**_

_**Three sets of plain works robes (black)**_

_**One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear**_

_**One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)**_

_**One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)**_

_**Please note that all students clothes should carry name tags**_

_**COURSE BOOKS**_

_**All students should have a copy of each of the following:**_

_**The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk**_

_**A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot**_

_**Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling**_

_**A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch**_

_**One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore**_

_**Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger**_

_**Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander**_

_**The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection**_

_**OTHER EQUIPMENT**_

_**1 wand**_

_**1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)**_

_**1 set glass or crystal phials**_

_**1 telescope**_

_**1 set brass scales**_

_**Students may also being an owl OR a cat OR a toad**_

_**PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS**_

Loki wondered idly if Hogwarts realized that A) he didn't have any parents to NOT buy him a broomstick, and B) He had been a legal adult since he was five years old and became a shinobi. Probably neither. He sighed and slipped the papers back into the envelope before disappearing in a shunshin. He missed the perplexed look on Kakashi's face when he came in a few minutes later to find a bird sitting on the back of his chair, fast asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Loki immediately decided that England was much too loud the moment the Portkey that had been sent to him so he could retrieve his supplies dropped him just inside Diagon Alley. The hustle and bustle of the street was almost as bad as the Kyuubi Festival in Konoha noise-wise. He immediately set off through the crowd in the direction of the large white marble building on the other end. If he knew anything about banks and libraries it was that they were quiet.

After forcing his way through the throng, and getting plenty of looks for his odd (in their sense) attire, he slipped into the near silence of the bank. He had to shake his head briefly to get rid of the ringing in his ears from the sudden sound change. Finding an open teller he walked over and tapped the edge of the counter. The gnarled creature he recognized faintly as a Goblin leaned over the counter to get a look at him.

"Ah, the Lestrange Heir, what can Gringotts do for you today?"

"I would like to speak with my account manager and to access my trust vault." The words were slightly stilted due to his accent. Over the years he'd begun to sound less like a European, and more like the people of Konoha. Only faint traces of his original accent remained.

"Very well." The Goblin motioned to another goblin standing near one of the walls. "Snarktooth will take you to your vault and then to a meeting room to speak with your account manager."

"Thank you."

The goblin gave him an odd look but nodded in return. Snarktooth led him farther into the bank and too the cart that would take him down to the vault. The trip was slightly longer than usual, Lestrange being one of the older families. Loki remained quiet throughout the trip only glancing idly in the direction of a dragon when its fire caught his attention. When the cart screeched to a halt he carefully got out and following instructions set his palm on the door.

A flare of magic wrapped around his palm, sending jolts up his arm before the lock disengaged and the vault door swung open. Loki stepped inside, ignoring the mounds of gold as he made his way over to a back shelf where he knew money pouches were kept. The pouches could only be opened and held by a Lestrange family member, and were linked directly to the vault. All Lestrange vaults had them.

With the bag in his possession he looked around the vault and finding nothing else of immediate interest he exited and rode the cart back to the main part of the bank. Snarktooth led the way to a quiet room and then left with a bow. The goblin jerked in surprise when he bowed back and thanked him for his aid. After that he was left on his own for several minutes until another goblin arrived.

The goblin introduced himself as Axesmasher before seating himself behind the desk in the room. Loki took a seat in front of him after a quiet greeting.

"What can I help you with today, Master Lestrange?"

"I would like to look into being emancipated. I was raised for the majority of my life in the Elemental Isles and have been considered an adult there for several years now. I would like that status to be transferred over here."

The goblin raised a brow before nodding and pulling several sheets of parchment from thin air. He wrote on several of them before directing Loki to place a drop of his blood on the documents. Immediately after the documents disappeared.

"It will take a few minutes for the documents to be filed at the ministry, the Custodian in charge will have to read them over. Would you like anything while we wait?"

"A cup of green tea would be nice, you wouldn't happen to have any Dango would you?"

The goblin smirked.

"I will see what I can do."

The manager wrote something on the desk, the ink promptly disappearing as if it had never been. A few moments later the door opened and a tea service was wheeled in. Loki couldn't help the smile when he saw the plate of Dango sitting beside it. The duo talked quietly for a few minutes, going over the account history for the last few years, and any plans Loki had for it in the foreseeable future. They had just finished off an investment plan when a single document reappeared on the table.

Axesmasher read it over before smiling and handing it to Loki.

"The Ministry has accepted your status as an adult. As you are a citizen of the Elemental Isles, and are considered an adult there, they cannot interfere with your maturity status. You are now allowed to claim your status as the Lord Lestrange, as your father is not currently able to hold the title. You are also the Lord Black, magically inherited as the only acceptable Heir of adult status who is not either dead or incarcerated. You are allowed full use of your wand and magic and full reign to do as you wish within the confines of the laws."

"Thank you." Loki bowed to the goblin before saying his goodbyes and slipping the parchment into his moneybag for safe keeping. He quietly exited the shop and headed for Madam Malkins. His Lord rings jingled softly from the chain around his neck. He tucked them inside his vest and out of sight. He entered Madam Malkins to find a 7 year old blonde being measured for dress robes with his parents off to the side. He stiffened at the same time as the blonde male when they recognized each other on sight.

"Lord Malfoy." He greeted curtly, making sure to bow properly, if a bit stiffly.

"Loki Lestrange, it's been quite some time since I've seen you. Here for your Hogwarts robes?"

"Yes. I'll be starting this fall."

Lucius Malfoy idly walked over to him and around getting a good look at him.

"I will admit, I was expecting you to take more after your mother. You're quite a tall young lad. Take a bit more after your surrogate father than most."

Loki ignored the attempt at the jibe. He'd already figured out that people of the Elemental Isles were considered purer than even the Pureblood lines, after all, one couldn't survive on those long cursed isles without magic. Not a single muggle resided on any of the islands.

"Yes, it would appear that his bloodline was more dominant than was expected."

"I see. Is that where you've been than? With your 'Shinobi' father?"

Loki kept his expression blank, body relaxed, even if the male's tone annoyed him, he wouldn't let it show.

"With my half-brother actually. Our father died shortly after I was born."

"Really…then why weren't you sent back to a respectable family?"

"My brother was an adult by that point and took me in."

"I see. And does he look after you still?"

"Yes, though I doubt that is any of your concern."

A light cough from behind them broke up the conversation. Loki turned to see one of the shop assistants.

"Is there anything I can do for you deary?"

"Yes. I need two sets of the standard Hogwarts robes in the lightest material you have. Two winter cloaks in a heavier material, and regular day clothes, enough sets to last two weeks. Also, I would like to take a look at any footwear you might carry, I'm looking for shoes more similar to sandals."

"Of course deary, come right over here and will get you measured. I will have Meribell bring up all the shoes we have in your size."

Loki took the stool next to the blonde who seemed to be overly curious as to who exactly he was if his staring had anything to say about it. Loki nodded shortly to him before turning to see Lady Black.

"It is good to see you Aunt Narcissa."

"And you as well, young Loki." Narcissa replied with a tight smile, not one to show emotion in a public setting. "I dare say you haven't met m Also, I would like to take a look at any footwear you might carry, I'm looking for shoes more similar to sandals."

"Of course deary, come right over here and will get you measured. I will have Meribell bring up all the shoes we have in your size."

Loki took the stool next to the blonde who seemed to be overly curious as to who exactly he was if his staring had anything to say about it. Loki nodded shortly to him before turning to see Lady Black.

"It is good to see you Aunt Narcissa."

"And you as well, young Loki." Narcissa replied with a tight smile, not one to show emotion in a public setting. "I dare say you haven't met my son, Draco. Draco this is your cousin Loki Lestrange, Loki, Draco Malfoy."

Loki turned to look over the blonde boy again. He nodded slowly.

"It is nice to meet you, Draco."

"The pleasure is mine." Draco replied in the expected Pureblood fashion. The boy seemed to look him over as well before continuing. "Why are you wearing such odd clothes?"

Loki hid a smirk, knowing that the boy would be lectured for the slip of proper etiquette later.

"Where I come from, these are normal. You would be the one considered as odd. That is why I am here, to get appropriate clothes so that people don't stare."

The boy flushed, recognizing the faint jab and turning to stare at the wall until his face cooled.

"Is it a muggle place then?"

"No. There are no muggles there."

"None at all?" The boy replied with a shocked expression. Loki nodded with a faint hum of agreement. Loki cast his mind around for anything to get the boy off this train of conversation. He spotted a shop out of the window and smirked internally as he turned to the boy. He still felt odd without his customary face mask on.

"Do you play any kind of sport?"

The boy immediately launched into tales about Quidditch. By the time Draco finished his dress robes were finished and it was time for them to leave. Narcissa smiled in his direction before leaving the store.

"Do stop in for dinner some time, Loki. It would be wonderful to catch up with you."

"I will see what I can do Aunt Narcissa."

* * *

Loki sneezed harshly when he entered his last stop on the shopping trip. Ollivanders: Makers of fine wands since 832 B.C.

There was a muffled snort from the back and he turned to see an elderly looking man smiling at him from between the shelves.

"I must say, I usually don't get that violent a reaction from customers. You must be Loki Lestrange, haven't seen a Lestrange since Rabastan had to get a new wand when Rodulphus snapped his by accident."

Loki gave the male a shallow bow in greeting.

"Good, good then. Now, are you left or right handed?"

"Ambidextrous."

"Well then, hold out both arms."

Loki did so and nearly jumped when a measuring tape came out of nowhere and started taking measurements. Ollivander disappeared into the shelves. When the tape began attempting to measure between his nostrils he snatched it out of the air and forced it over to the counter. Ollivander came back out chuckling.

"Gets a bit away with itself doesn't it? Try this one."

Loki reached forward and grasped the handle of a dark brown wand. Almost immediately the wand jumped out of his hand and onto the counter. Ollivander raised a brow but then shrugged.

"Not that one then."

He handed another over. Loki gave it a wave, and the window behind him shattered.

"Nope! Definitely NOT that one."

Ollivander snatched it back and fixed the window with a wave of his own wand. Loki gingerly grasped the next one. A flick and Ollivander's hair was suddenly purple. Ollivander rolled his eyes and handed over the next one. This one harshly shocked him the moment it came into contact with his palm and he immediately tossed it back, shaking his hand to get rid of the sting.

Ollivander hummed as he went back into the shelves and returned with another wand. This one was white with black veins running throughout. Loki lightly gripped it and immediately a 'softer' shock went up his arm, a lingering kind of shock that reminded him of chakra blades. A pleasant feeling settled into his gut as it became a quiet hum in the back of his mind.

"Ah, an interesting choice. It's from a yew tree that was struck by lightning. The only wand wood I could salvage from it actually. The core is a chimera, an astute choice for a Metamorphmagus. Good wand for transfiguration and Dark Arts. But a steady partner none the less. That will be seven galleons. For an extra three I will even toss in a wrist holster."


	10. Chapter 10

Loki had the sinking feeling that the entirety of the Wizarding World was crowded and loud. It had taken him less than a nanosecond to spot the Genjutsu over the entrance to the platform. While the space/time ramifications of such a thing were intriguing, the pure sound inside of it derailed any thoughts of studying it. He winced when he came onto the platform standing next to a roudy group of redheads, only three of the nine actually being students, the rest either too young or too old, though a pair of twins looked like they might be attending next year.

Loki inconspicuously started darkening his hair until it was a drab brown and as such unnoticeable. Apparently someone had spotted it though as a girl with bright pink hair a couple of years older popped up in front of him.

"Oh! You're like me!" Her hair proceeded to make her point by going an alarming shade of orange before turning pink again. He nodded tightly, glancing around superstitiously to see if they were being watched. She spotted a couple a little ways off watching them. One was a witch, the other obviously a muggleborn male. The girl grabbed his hand and dragged him over to the pair without even a by-your-leave. The moment they stopped he twisted his wrist out of her grip.

"Nymphadora Tonks! You should be ashamed of yourself just dragging people around willy-nilly! Apologize."

"But mum-"

"Now."

The girl bristled for a second, hair turning a riotous red before turning to him.

"Sorry." She snapped with a terse tone. "But mum- he's like me!"

Meanwhile Loki was trying to recall what was so familiar about 'Tonks' it took him a couple of seconds of staring at the girl's mother for it to register that she was eerily similar to his own mother and Narcissa Malfoy-nee-Black. He blinked as it hit him.

"Aunt Andromeda." He stated, the tone almost questioningly. The woman's attention snapped back to him. She frowned as she looked him over.

"Do I know you?"

He sighed before morphing his hair until it was pure black with tight ringlets and thinned his face minutely, eyes going black. The woman gasped, like this he was almost the spitting image of his mother.

"Loki!" She yelped. The girl stared at her mother in confusion.

"What?"

Andromeda turned back to her daughter.

"Nymphadora, this is Loki Lestrange. He's your Aunt Bellatrix's son."

Nymphadora turned to look him over again. Loki morphed back to his actual appearance, white hair, blue-gray eyes and all. The girl blinked rapidly.

"Do you like looking albino or something?"

Loki scowled.

"This is what I actually look like."

"Oh."

Andromeda interrupted before a fight could start.

"It is good to meet you dear. I'm happy Nymphadora wasn't the only one to inherit the family quirk. It seems rather sparse of late. This is your first year correct?"

"Yes, Aunt Andromeda."

"Andy dear. Nymphadora prefers Tonks as well. And this is my husband."

"Nice to meet you Mr. Tonks."

The muggleborn male grinned back.

"It's nice to meet you as well."

The whistle for the train blew and Loki and Tonks rushed for the train. Tonks was immediately swept up into a group of brightly dressed individuals and Loki found himself alone in the train corridor. After glancing into several of the cabins he found an empty one and settled in. After switching into his school uniform and robes he pulled a notebook from his trunk along with his Potions text. He was summarizing the book in a way that the medics of Konoha would understand, as well as writing it in Japanese. The notebook would later be sent to Kakashi via summons. He had already done the same with his astronomy text, leaving out what he already knew was in the konoha library. He even copied sections of the star charts into the notebook.

It also helped that writing allowed him to better retain the information. All of his clothes had been stored into storage scrolls, along with his parchment, quills, and ink bottles. This left him plenty of room for muggle notebooks, pens, and other Wizarding texts that he had picked up to summarize and read up on. He had just reached the chapter that covered sleeping draughts when the door to his compartment opened. An older boy in school robes with black and silver lining stood in the doorway.

"You the only one in here?"

Loki nodded. The male smirked and leaned his head back out.

"Found one!"

There was a few moments of movement outside before the male and three others entered the compartment. They all had the same robes. After considering what he knew of the school he decided the intruders were Slytherins. He went back to the text in his lap. Or tried to anyway. The only girl in the group interrupted him.

"Who are you, little firsty?"

"Loki."

"Loki? As in the god of mischief? How amusing. Loki what?"

He looked up at her and stared for long enough that she blinked and glanced away reflexively.

"Loki Rodulphus Lestrange."

The car went eerily quiet for several seconds.

"Son of Rodulphus Lestrange?" The first boy asked. Loki nodded. The male returned the nod and held out a hand.

"Marcus Flint."

"Loki." He repeated, shaking the boys hand.

"Astrid." The female introduced herself. "Astrid Montague."

"Damien Torseen." Said a burly, black haired male.

"Michello Zavier." The last boy, of Italian descent, introduced.

Loki nodded back to all of them before giving a pointed look to the lot and going back to his book. The talked quietly among themselves after that. The only other interruption of the trip was when the trolly went by. Loki looked it over but didn't spot anything he liked and decided against getting anything.

* * *

When the train came to a stop the older students easily cleared a path with their mere presence and Loki followed in their wake for a quick exit from the train. A booming voice greeted the students on the platform.

"First years to me! First years this way!"

Loki followed it over to a giant of a man with long scraggly hair. He had the oddest impression that Gai would like this man. A shudder went through him at this thought. He loved Gai like a brother, but sometimes he was just too much.

Once the first years were gathered they were led down to a dock and taken across the water. Loki was the only student who didn't trip on the beach or make an audible sound when he first spotted the castle up on the cliffs. The sight was breathtaking though. The thought of exploring such a big place excited him. There would be plenty of places to hide, and areas not easily reached. He frowned thoughtfully, he would have to find someplace to train. The group was led up a set of steep stone steps and across the grounds to the front door of the castle. The giant man knocked and the door was answered by a tartly dressed woman.

After a brief warning to 'smarten themselves up' and an introduction of the four houses they were left alone for a few minutes. Loki blinked as he registered some kind of chakra to the back of the group. Since he was facing that direction he was the first person to spot the ghosts. He watched them idly while the other students freaked out, trying to decided if they were real ghosts or not. When the woman came back he shrugged the thought away and turned around.

The first years were led in two lines into the Great Hall, where the rest of the student body was already seated. That annoyed Loki. Were they trying to terrify the students on purpose? What better way than to get stuck in front of a bunch of people you don't know, who are avidly staring at you. His attention snapped back to the front of the room when the hat that had been quietly sitting on the stool burst into song. He had to blink rapidly as his mind worked over the implications of a talking hat, that could apparently read your mind.

He listened half-heartedly as the names of First Years were called and the nervous students were sorted. There was a sudden stressed hush when his name was called. He cringed inwardly, knowing it was because of his mother's nefarious reputation.

"Lestrange, Loki."

As he was walking up to the stool, Loki wanted more than anything in the world to move out of his mother's reputation, to be seen as a person, not the son of a torturer. Those were the kind of thoughts running through his head when the hat slipped over his eyes.

There was a brief amused chuckle in his mind before the hat spoke.

_Well, if that's what you want. ..Better be "Slytherin!"_

It took him a moment for him to realize the last had been shouted out to the hall. He tugged the hat off his head and strode over to the Silver and Green table. There was polite clapping, and quite a few smirks from his Housemates. He sat down across from another first year that had already been sorted into Slytherin. The boy appeared to be nervous still, jittery. Loki raised an amused brow before turning to watch the rest of the sorting. It finished off with the last student going to Ravenclaw. The Headmaster gave a few start of term warnings and then they were allowed to eat.

Loki pointedly didn't react to the sudden appearance of food. Reacting, would be like showing a red flag to the bulls that were the older Slytherins. It was better to appear unfazed. He ate only small portions, not feeling up to the heavy british foods, and listened to the chatter around him, only replying when asked a direct question. The other first years eventually caught on that he wasn't interested in talking and let him be. This seemed to amuse the older years, but Loki was just too tired to care at this point. It was amazing how doing absolutely nothing could tire a person out…


	11. Chapter 11

Loki blinked sleepily as he woke. He looked around to see the dark green and silver hangings that he vaguely remembered seeing the night before as he came into the Slytherin dorms. With a lazy stretch he rolled out of bed, hissing under his breath when his feet came into contact with the cold floor. Annoyed, he walked to his trunk at the foot of the bed and pulled out a set of his usual attire, deciding he would dress in the robes when he left for breakfast. He set the clothes on the foot of his bed and dropped to the floor to do his usual morning stretches.

Ten minutes later he was exiting the castle's main door onto the front lawn. The sun hadn't risen yet, still being in the pre-dawn hour. Shivering a bit from the cooler outside air he started off on a lazy jog around the school. The castle was bigger than he thought it would be. At a jog it took roughly half an hour to go completely around the castle, including looping through the paths connecting the greenhouses and rounding the lake. He considered going for a swim sometime this week, but decided it might be a little cold for such.

When he finally jogged back to the front of the school he paused when he spotted a sullen looking male waiting on the steps. With a mental shrug he finished the walk up to the steps and dropped down into his cool down stretches at the foot of them. The dark haired male raised an eyebrow when he realized that Loki had been doing a morning exercise before making his way down the steps to stand near the First Year.

"Good morning, Mr. Lestrange."

"Good morning, Professor..."

"Snape."

"Professor Snape."

Loki inclined his head to the male as he leaned farther into his last leg stretch.

"Pray tell what you are doing up at this hour, on the first day of class no less, and out of the dormitories?"

Loki blinked as he registered the question. He gave a one shoulder shrug as he replied, moving into a butterfly stretch before relaxing into his seat on the ground.

"I'm always up around this time, Professor Snape. My brother usually joins me at home for the exercise routine when he's up."

"You jog every morning?"

The male was wearing an incredulous expression, as if he couldn't believe that a child would willingly do exercise, especially so early in the day. Loki nodded to him.

"I usually jog in the evening as well, helps me sleep."

Snape held out a hand and Loki took it, allowing the teacher to pull him to his feet.

"Be that as it may, did you not think to inform an adult what you were doing, precisely because it is our job to know where are students are at all times?"

Loki thought over the request, swallowing the retort that he could look after himself. It annoyed him that Maturity Laws were different in this country. He gave the Professor a low apologetic bow before standing straight.

"My apologies, Professor Snape. I didn't believe that my exercise routine would disrupt your duties as a teacher. If it helps, would you like me to write out a schedule of when I usually run, and the path I will most likely follow?"

Snape stared at him for several minutes.

"You will refuse to simply stay inside or exercise in the common room?"

"The common room is too small. Running is an integral part of the routine. As far as I am aware it is against school rules to run in the halls. But, if I would be allowed such an exception for my exercise routine I would gladly run within the school. The staircases would be an interesting addition to the routine."

The teacher blinked, possibly surprised by the intelligent reply and expanded vocabulary for an 11-year-old. He nodded sharply.

"I will speak with the Headmaster about allowing you to run within the school. For now, I would like a schedule with the run times, and paths. At the very least, you will leave a notice on my office door before going outdoors for your run. I will show you where it is now, if you are finished."

The last part had a questioning tone to it. Loki nodded and followed the teacher back into the school. They walked along the halls quietly, steps echoing faintly on the stone walls. They went down several staircases until reaching a lower level office. Snape pointed to the door at the other end of the corridor.

"That is the Potions Classroom. It would be a good idea to remember its location."

Loki nodded, having already begun a mental map of the school when he went to exercise this morning. A glance at Snape's office door showed the insignia for Slytherin House. Noticing Loki's attention on it, Snape spoke.

"I am your Head of House. That means that I am in charge of any disciplinary action. Any teacher may give you a detention or take away points, but in-house disputes are handled by me, along with anything that may lead to expulsion or suspension."

"Yes, sir."

Loki followed the male into his office. Professor Snape sat down behind his desk and reached into a drawer. He pulled out a scroll of parchment and set it in front of Loki, next to it he placed a quill and ink. Loki was glad that Ishikawa (Stone River) had taught him to use all kinds of writing utensils when it came to seals, so quills were nothing new.

He immediately picked up the scrolls and using his mental recollection of the school sketched a quick map of the school grounds that he had covered. Using a dotted line he traced out the path he had taken this morning. In the bottom corner he listed the times he usually ran and noted any variations he may make to the path later on. He blew softly on the scroll to dry it faster and then handed it over to Snape. The male paused at seeing the map but nodded in acceptance.

"You seem to have a mind for details, Mr. Lestrange."

"It is a habit, Professor Snape."

The male raised an eyebrow but accepted the answer.

"A good habit, which I expect you to use in Potions Class."

Loki smirked slightly and nodded.

"Yes, sir."

"You may go."

Loki rose from his seat and gave the perplexed teacher a shallow bow before exiting the office. He easily found his way back to the common room. It took him a moment to remember the password, but he eventually did. The common room was still empty, and his dorm mates still asleep. He shook his head with an exasperated sigh and grabbed his clothes for the day before heading to the bathroom.

A quick shower later and he exited the bathroom, still towel drying his hair. The towel was tossed into a clothes hamper again one wall of the room and he moved to his trunk. Picking through the belongings inside, he set his school books on the shelf beside his bed. Over half of the blank parchment and the majority of his ink and quills were set inside the desk on the other side. His clothes were quickly arranged in the provided wardrobe and he slipped on his school robes and sandals. Grabbing the Transfiguration text and wand he headed down to the common room. Flipping through to the practical lessons he sat down near a dry inkwell one of the older students must have left out and set to transfiguring it into a bookend. He had already begun teaching himself from the book. Compared to learning Jutsu, magic was easy.

Muttering under his breath and willing the change, the inkwell slowly started changing shape into a rather ugly looking bookend that was nothing like what he was imagining. Annoyed, he reversed the change and started over. By the time the older students, ones who were more accustomed to the school schedule, came down into the common room he had managed to make the inkwell into a passable bookend, but the image he was trying to create it into as still sluggish and blurry around the edges. In his mind's eye it looked rather hideous, and nothing like the dog it was supposed to. Takeru would have been ashamed to even think it was supposed to be the Nin-kin.

A couple of the older students came over to see what he was doing, one making a suggestion and what he was doing wrong. Turning slightly pink he reversed the change and tried again. This time it actually came out how he wanted. Looking sheepish he nodded to the older student and muttered a thank you.

"Gemma Farley."

"Loki Lestrange."

There was another brief round of introductions and Loki was introduced to a couple more students on the way to the Great Hall for breakfast. Zubeida Khan was a Second Year, Gemma a Third Year, Terrence Higgs was a First Year like Loki. He also learned that Marcus Flint, who he had met on the train was a Second Year. He learned that his cousin Nymphadora Tonks was a Fourth Year and in Hufflepuff. Astrid, Damien, and Michello were all Third Years.


	12. Chapter 12

Loki was bored, and his being bored really wasn't a good thing. He'd managed to transfigure the match into a needle on the first try, much to the transfiguration professor's chagrin. He suspected it was from having to award points to someone not of her House. After doing so, and being assigned to make the match more intricate (a task he found easy after the fiasco this morning with the bookend) and had transfigured it to look like a fang, curved and all. Now, he had nothing else to do. Glancing around the room he suppressed a grin. Another student on the other side of the room had just finished his transfiguration and had turned away from it to call over Professor McGonagall. With a lazy flick of his wrist, hiding the movement from the other students and the unsuspecting teacher, the needle sitting before the other boy dissolved back into a match.

McGonagall moved over to the young boy. Said boy had just turned back to his desk and was staring at it in confusion.

"Yes, Mr. Wood?"

"I just had it, I swear! I turned around to call you and when I turned back it was a match again!"

There was a snicker from a pair of Slytherins near Wood, McGonagall gave them a stern look and the twisted back around in their seats.

"Well, it obviously isn't a needle now, Mr. Wood. Try again."

Wood did the transfiguration again, taking two attempts to get it right. McGonagall nodded in acceptance and awarded him 5 points. The Professor walked over to another student's desk to critique their wand-work and Loki de-transfigured Wood's needle again. Said boy stifled a groan and set to transfiguring it again. Loki continued this little game of his for the rest of the period, absently de-transfiguring people's needles, including the one left on the desk by the Professor. They were dismissed at the end of the lesson, all those who hadn't succeeded being assigned homework. McGonagall walked back to her desk and stared at the match laying innocently upon it with a very confused expression.

As he was walking down the corridor, Loki was surprised when another boy fell into step beside him, Terrence Higgs.

"That was wicked, where'd you learn to de-transfigure?"

Loki stared at the boy incredulously for a moment before answering. It took him a moment to realize that Terrence hadn't been one of his cough-Victims-cough.

"Chapter 7 of the book. I'm surprised you noticed."

Terrence gave an almost manic grin.

"Nah, I was bored."

Loki gave a slow nod in acceptance of the answer. Boredom is what caused the invention of his game after all. The two walked along quietly to their next class, which happened to be Herbology.

The greenhouses were just beginning to be filled with students when the pair arrived. The Professor was humming to herself from beside one of the planters as she looked over the class, checking off names of the people as they came in. Once everyone was inside she took them on a tour of all of the greenhouses before informing them which ones they weren't allowed in until they reached higher years. Loki actually found the class to be quite boring, but answered questions when they were directed at him. At the end of the class period he walked yet again with Terrence up to the castle.

"So, what you think of classes so far?"

Loki glanced at Terrence but continued walking. He shrugged noncommittally.

"Haven't been to enough of them to know yet. So far, boring."

"So I've noticed." Terrence replied with a smirk that was halfway to a grin. Loki just rolled his eyes.

As they entered the Great Hall they spotted Wood having a conversation with one of the older Gryffindors obviously still trying to work out what had happened in Transfiguration. Loki just sighed with a shake of his head and sat down at the Slytherin table. Terrence blinked owlishly at him before sitting down. The boy looked confused about where exactly they were sitting. Loki ignored his expression, as he was blatantly ignoring the seating arrangement that most of the Slytherins were following.

A few minutes into the lunch hour Marcus Flint arrived and settled onto the bench beside Loki, Gemma sat down across from him. Terrence looked like he wasn't so sure that he should be sitting here anymore. The two newcomers ignored him as they started in questioning Loki on how his first two classes went. Marcus grinned at the story from Transfiguration, but Gemma just rolled her eyes with an amused expression. The rest of the meal was fairly normal with only a few of the Second and Third Years giving curious expressions in the direction of the two First Years. Eventually it was simply ignored though. Loki was just glad when Terrence finally stopped acting like he was about to be bitten by the older years.

090

Loki was one of the first students to arrive for Potions Class on Friday, having already learned its location. Terrence, having realized that the quickest way to get anywhere was to follow Loki, was right behind him. Loki was amused by Terrence. The boy had woken up the second morning when Loki had come in from his workout and all but demanded to be included in what Loki was doing. So the following morning, with a very mischievous attitude, found Loki dumping Terrence out of the boy's bed and forcing him into a spare set of sweatpants and tank. The clothes had to be transfigured to fit the stockier male, but had worked out well. By the time the duo had come back to the stairwell Terrence looked about ready to keel over, but he was still determined to be included in the morning routine. Loki had to give him credit, he was tenacious.

This morning had been no better than the first, in fact, Terrence looked sore and stiff. Loki was considering taking pity on the boy and finding a different routine for the boy to follow, but the thought of having to ease up on his own workout derailed it. He couldn't afford to get out of shape. Terrence dropped into the seat beside Loki, his head laying on the table. Loki gave a faint smirk and pulled out parchment, quill, and inkwell. Terrence, seeing the movement groaned before doing so as well.

As the last of the near-late students sat down (Gryffindors all), the classroom door slammed open. Several students jerked in surprise. Professor Snape stalked up to the front of the room before spinning around to face the class.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word—like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death— if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Snape then proceeded to run through the roll call, randomly asking questions (awarding points to the Slytherins that got them right, and deducting points from Gryffindors that got them wrong or were 'cheeky' in their tone), and then set them up to brew a basic boil cure potion. Loki made sure to keep short hand notes and led the still sleepy Terrence along through the potion. The other boy seemed happy to do the least amount of work as possible.

At the end of class Loki and Terrence' potion was one of the few that came out right, the majority of the others were either unacceptable or completely useless. One of the more nervous Gryffindors had even managed to melt his cauldron within the first five minutes.


End file.
